My return to London was not what I expected.

Armed with the sweater that protected me from many months of cold weather while doing my MA in International Journalism at City University back in 2008-2009, I was quite surprised to get a warm London welcome on Tuesday.

Bathed in sunshine, temperature in the high 20s (Celsius)--this was not the London we tropical folk fear.

"Hottest day all year," was the assessment of the cabbie who drove me from Victoria train station to my hotel.

There was another warm day in London, yesterday, a fitting welcome for the 24 members of the Trinidad and Tobago team that checked in to the Olympic Village. Twenty-two track and field athletes and boxer Carlos Suarez made the trek from the T&T training camp in Cardiff, Wales, while hurdler Wayne Davis II travelled from the United States to London.

Swimmer George Bovell and shooter Roger Daniel had previously moved in to the Village. Cyclist Njisane Phillip, meanwhile, is expected to check in today, bringing the total of T&T athletes here in London, England for the 2012 Olympics to 27. T&T will be represented by a team of 30 at the Games.

T&T chef de mission, Annette Knott told the Express that double Olympic silver medallist Richard "Torpedo" Thompson attended the Cardiff camp but has not yet arrived at the Village.

Quartermiler Renny Quow was not in Wales. He remained at his training base in Florida, USA to fine-tune his preparations for the Games. Quow is expected to join his teammates at the Olympic Village next Monday.

And sailor Andrew Lewis was part of the T&T camp, in Wales, but has since taken up residence at the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Village—about three hours from London by train.

Knott said the Cardiff camp was a huge success.

"It takes three or four days to sleep normally after arriving. The team was in Wales for five or six days, so that's definitely an advantage.

"Also, it brought the team together. They were able to relax and enjoy each other's company. From some of the comments from coaches, especially in athletics, it was a real benefit. In terms of the support we tried to give the athletes, this is the best Olympic preparation we've had.

"There are very good facilities here at the Village," the chef de mission continued. "And our area is away from the main hub, which allows the athletes to stay focused on the job at hand."

Knott said the 2012 T&T team is capable of matching the country's largest ever Olympic medal haul—three, at the 1964 Games in Tokyo, Japan.

"We can equal that, and I'm hoping for better. At the 1948 London Games, we won our first medal (weightlifting silver from Rodney Wilkes). We're hoping 2012 is also historic.

"I expect finalists in both the men's and women's 100 metres events. And I expect us to medal in both sprint relays."

Thompson and national champion Keston Bledman will both bid for precious metal in the men's century. And in the women's 100m, Kelly-Ann Baptiste is among the favourites.

Knott is also anticipating solid performances in the swimming pool and on the cycling track.

"George in the 50 free. And Njisane has had such fantastic performances over the last few months, you never know what could happen.

"As one of the athletes said, everyone is there for a medal, so it's what you do on the day that counts."

-Kwame Laurence

www.trinidadexpress.com